Vaccination Update from Johns Hopkins

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Vaccination Update from Johns Hopkins

The Listening Center team at Johns Hopkins wants to provide you with important new information about pneumococcal vaccination and how to best reduce the risk of meningitis.

The CDC has new vaccine requirements (October 2012) for pneumococcal vaccination in cochlear implant patients:

Young Children (younger than 2y) – A full schedule of Prevnar 13 vaccines should be administered as routinely required in the U.S.

Young Children (older than 2y) – One dose of PPV23 or Pneumovax should be given at age 2 years. If the last dose of Prevnar 13 is given after age 2 years, then Pneumovax should be administered 8 weeks later.

Adults (age 19y and older) who have NOT had any prior pneumococcal vaccinations now need one dose of Prevnar 13 followed 8 weeks later by PPV23 or Pneumovax. A Pneumovax booster is required at age 65 years.

Adults (age 19y and older) who have had prior vaccination only with Pneumovax, now also need one dose of Prevnar 13 to be given 1 year or more after their Pneumovax shot. A Pneumovax booster is required at age 65 years. Note: If Pneumovax has been given in the past year, you must wait 12 months to give Prevnar13. If you had Pneumovax under age 65, a booster is needed after age 65 or five years later. [Prevnar 13, then eight weeks minimum until the Pneumovax.]

Cochlear implant candidates must have completed at least part of the immunization requirements prior to surgery. Full compliance with the full immunization schedule must be documented as soon as possible.